Sugar-cane harvester.



J. T. BIGGS.

SUGAR GANE HARVESTER.

APPLIUATION FILED 11110.13, 191s.

1,101,393. Patented June 23,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

cie@ @ggfs J. T. vBIGGS. SUGAR GANE HARVESTER.

l APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1913. "1,101,393, Patented June 23,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CCI..WASH|NGTON. D. C.

J. T. BIGGS.

SUGAR CANE HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1s, 1913.

1,101,393. Patented June 23, 1914,

s SHEETS-SHEET a.

@Wma/13 JESSE THOMAS BIGGS, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SUGAR-CANE HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 13, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914.

serial No. 806,579.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssn T. Brees, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Sugar-Cane Harvesters, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to sugar cane harvesters and it consists in thenovel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a harvester in the form of anattachment adapted to be applied to the running gear of a wagon wherebythe same is moved along the row of stalks together with the wagon. Theharvester is supported upon wheels and is provided with a series ofrotating knives adapted to be operated from one of the supportingwheels. The stalks as they are cut by the said knives lfall back uponthe body of the attachment and the attachment is provided with anelevating device adapted to engage the stalks and carry the same up overthe side boards of the wagon body and deposit the stalks into the saidbody.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of theharvester showing the same applied to the running gear of a wagon. Fig.2 is a rear end elevation of the harvester. Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the same. Figs. 4, 5,6 and'7 are detailed views of the several'features thereof As illustrated in the accompanying drawings the`harvester comprises an inner frame A and an outer frame B. These framesare hingedly connected together as will be hereinafter described and theinner frame is adapted to be connected with the running gear of a wagon.The inner frame A comprises parallel bars 1 which are provided at theirinner ends with adjustable sections 2 having clips 3 adapted to besecured to the reach pole 4 of the running gear of the wagon. Thesections 2 are provided with sleeves 5 which receive the inner endportions of the bars 1 and pins 6 pass through the said sleeves and areadapted to pass through registering perforations 7 provided in thebars 1. Therefore it will be seen that the sections 2 may be shifted oradjusted with relation to the bars 1 so that the frame A may beelongated or contracted as desired. An arm 8 extends rearwardly from oneof the bars 1 and is provided at its rear end portion with an adjustableportion 9 having at its rear end a clip 10 adapted to receive the endportion of the rear axle 11 of the running gear of the wagon. The saidsection 9 is also provided with a sleeve 12 and a pin 13 which isadapted to pass through any of the perforations 14 provided in the arm 8and consequently the arm 8 and section 9 may be shifted with relation toeach other in order that the inner frame A may properly sit upon therunning gear of the wagon. A bar 15 is carried at the outer ends of thebars 1 and is disposed at a right angle with relation to the said bars1.

Uprights 16 are mounted upon the bar 15 and are provided at their upperends with shoulders 17 adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the sideof the body of the wagon. The shoulders 17 are provided with downwardlydisposed lugs 18 adapted to fit against the inner surface of the side ofthe wagon body and levers 19 are fulcrumed upon the lugs 18. The saidlevers 19 are provided with eccentric end portions 20 which when thelevers are turned are adapted to bear against the inner surface of theside of the wagon body and securely hold or iiX the uprights 16 withrelation to the side of the wagon body. Upwardly disposed parallel arms21 are mounted upon the shoulder 17 and sprocket wheels 22 are journaledfor rotation between the arms 21. The upper ends of the arms 2l areslotted as at 23 and the shafts of the wheels 22 rest in the said slotsconsequently the sprocket wheels and their shafts may be readily liftedout of the slots and disconnected from the upper ends of the arms 21when desired.

4Hooks 24 (shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 7) are mounted upon the bar15 in the vicinity of the ends thereof and engage eyes 25 mounted at theinner side of the frame B. If desired this arrangement of the hooks andeyes may be reversed. Tongues 26 are pivoted at the end portions of thebills of the hooks 24 and are adapted to be swung back against theshanks of the said hooks and rings 27 are slidably mounted upon theshanks of the said hooks and are adapted to be passed over the free endportions of the tongues 26 whereby the said tongues are held againstswinging movement and the eyes 25 are prevented from disengaging thesaid hooks.

A shaft 28 is journaled for rotation at the intermediate portion of theframe B and a llt ground wheel 29 is fixed toI one end portion of theshaft 28. A shaft 30 is journaled for rotation upon the frame B and isdisposed .at a right angle to the shaft 28. A gear wheel 31 is fixed tothe shaft 28 and meshes with a gear wheel 32 fixed upon the shaft 30.Sprocket wheels 33 are fixed upon the shaft 30 and sprocket chains 34are trained around the sprocket wheel 22 and 33. The sprocket chains 34carry fingers 35. The frame B is provided at its forward end with a head36 which is located ybelow the upper surface of the body portion of thesaid frame. The head 36 is upwardly and forwardly inclined from theforward end of the frame B and the said head is provided with a stalkthroat 37 having converging side bars 33 and a transversely disposedintermediate bar 39. A gear wheel 40 is journaled for rotation upon thehead 36 and one of the side bars 38 thereof and meshes with a gear wheel41 fixed to the forward end of the shaft 30. Blades 42 are fixed to thegear wheel 40 and are arranged to swing across the throat 37 provided inthe head 36. The rear portion of the frame B is sup- .ported by a casterwheel 43 and inclined rods 44 are mounted upon the cross bars 45 of theframe B.

In operation as the wagon is moved along a row of stalks the frame Amoves with the same and inasmuch as the wheel 29 runs upon the groundthe shaft 28 is rotated. Through the intermeshing wheels 31 and 32 theshaft 30 is rotated and through the intermeshing wheels 4l and 40 theblades 42 are swung around the axis of the wheel 40 and move along thethroat 37 of the head 36. As the frame B moves toward the stalks thestalks are received in the throat 37 of the head 36 and the blades 42come in contact with the said stalks and cut the same. The blades 42turn in a plane which is 1nclined with relation to a horizontal andconsequently a shearing cut is imparted to the stalks and as the stalksare severed the upper portions thereof fall back over the frame forharvesting stalks and as the wagon.

moves over the ground any unevenness in the ground will permit the frameB to swing vertically with relation to the wagon running gear in view ofthe fact that the said frame is hingedly or pivotally connected with theframe A by means of the hooks 24 and eyes 25. Y

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

A stalk harvester comprising an inner frame having bars provided withadjustable sections, means carried by the sections for attachment to thereach pole of a wagon, an arm mounted upon one of the saidV bars, andadjustable sections mounted upon said arm, means carried by the lastmentioned sections for connecting the same with the Vaxle of a runninggear, uprights mounted upon the said frame, means for connecting the'up.

rights with the side boardof the wagon body, wheels journaled at theupperV ends of the uprights, an outer frame hingedly connected with thefirst mentioned frame, cutting blades mounted upon the outer Vframe,means for operating the cutting blades, an elevator extending from theouter frame over the wheels upon the said uprights, and means foroperating'the said elevator. n

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.'Y JESSE THOMAS BIGGS. Witnesses:

ANNA 'I`. TRUHLAR, FRED F TRUHLAR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissionrrgf Batentsl,

Washington, D. C.

